Sunshine and Dopamine

Sunshine and Dopamine is a vibrant abstract painting inspired by Samuel’s visit to Prague in November 2021. Created during a period of restoration and reflection, the work captures both the uplifting energy of the city and Samuel’s renewed state of mind after taking time to recharge creatively and emotionally.

Using acrylic paint and gel medium layered across a deep stretched cotton canvas, Samuel built an expressive composition filled with movement, texture, and spontaneity. Rich pinks, vivid greens, and soft whites collide and blend across the surface, creating an energetic rhythm that evokes blooming petals, foliage, and fragments of nature viewed through an abstract lens. The painting’s layered brushstrokes and translucent passages give the work a lively, almost dreamlike atmosphere.

The colour palette was heavily influenced by the architecture and visual character of Prague, where muted historic tones contrasted with bursts of unexpected colour throughout the city. Samuel translated these impressions into a composition that feels joyful, immersive, and emotionally charged — a celebration of creativity, optimism, and personal renewal.

The title Sunshine and Dopamine reflects the emotional response behind the work: the feeling of warmth, happiness, and mental clarity that can come from travel, rest, and reconnecting with inspiration.

Painted on a deep stretched cotton canvas measuring 40 cm × 30 cm × 3.5 cm, the composition continues around the painted edges, allowing the artwork to feel complete from every angle. The painting is presented within a black frame measuring 44.5 cm × 34.5 cm × 5 cm.